Season 4 Premiere of “Animal Control” Set for December 28, 2025 [VIDEO]

The hit FOX workplace comedy Animal Control is kicking off its fourth season with a special early premiere on **Sunday, December 28, 2025, airing @ 8:00PM ET / 7:00PM CT on FOX. This return comes just after the network’s NFL doubleheader, giving fans a prime-time lead-in for the beloved series.

What to Expect in the Premiere Episode

The Season 4 premiere — titled “Bear Cubs and Broncos” — drops viewers back into the chaotic, hilarious world of Seattle’s animal control officers. In this episode:

• A forced precinct merger due to budget cuts sets up the central conflict of the night.

• Frank Shaw (Joel McHale) and Templeton Dudge (Gerry Dee) clash over leadership during a bear cub rescue gone sideways.

• Meanwhile, Emily Price (Vella Lovell) and Fred “Shred” Taylor (Michael Rowland) attempt to keep their budding romance a secret from the rest of the squad.

The episode blends classic Animal Control physical comedy and character conflict as the team scrambles to handle both literal and figurative wild moments.

Cast & Characters

Season 4 brings back the returning ensemble, including:

• Joel McHale as Frank Shaw

• Michael Rowland as Fred “Shred” Taylor

• Vella Lovell as Emily Price

• Ravi Patel as Amit Patel

• Grace Palmer as Victoria Sands

• Gerry Dee as Templeton Dudge

• Kyla Pratt as Daisy

Fans can expect the core group’s signature mix of workplace antics, interpersonal sniping, and affectionate care for animals that somehow always ends in disaster.

After the special Sunday premiere, the series will shift to its usual Thursday night slot beginning January 15, 2026 — continuing the season’s regular broadcast rhythm.

New Streaming Access

In another boost for fans, Animal Control is also expanding its streaming reach. Multiple seasons — including at least the first two — will debut on Netflix US on Friday, December 26, 2025. This gives prospective viewers a chance to catch up before the new season begins. Hulu will continue to offer episodes the day after they air on FOX.

Series Background

Created by Bob Fisher, Rob Greenberg, and Dan Sterling, Animal Control debuted on FOX in February 2023 and has steadily built a following for its blend of animal-centric humor and workplace sitcom charm. The show centers on the Seattle animal control team — where, as FOX describes it, “animals are simple, but humans are not.”

	Animal Control
	Network: FOXGenre: ComedySeasons: 4Episodes: 43
	Overview A group of local animal control workers' lives are complicated by the fact that animals are simple, but humans are not. Leading the crew is Frank, an opinionated, eccentric animal control officer who may not have gone to college but is still the most well-read person in the room. In his past life as a cop, Frank tried to expose corruption in his department, but his efforts got him fired, leaving him cynical and curmudgeonly. Despite his rough exterior, he is blessed with an almost superhuman ability to understand animals.